Friday, April 15, 2011

I just read an article about a school in the Chicago area that is banning homemade lunches! Hang on a second, I’ll be right back…

Ok, here I am. I had to go grab my box to stand on and share my opinion!

Where to start with how I feel about this as a parent. No, I don’t live in the school district. I don’t even live in Illinois. My concern is that this could happen anywhere if it’s already being allowed to happen in other school.

I initially found the information from Jen at Mom Spotted on her Facebook page. I clicked her link to The Lookout on Yahoo!. As I read through the article, I began to get more and more upset. From there I clicked to the Chicago Tribune article.

Here are the options provided in these schools: eat the lunch, go hungry, or bring a note if you have food allergies. For the most part these kids have 2 options: eat or starve.

I tell you what, my boys would starve most days because they can’t stand what the school provide for lunches. Not that it’s bad, but my boys are picky. That’s where my JOB as a mom comes in to play as I send them to school with lunches that will provide them the nutrition and energy to get through the school day.

These kids HAVE to eat. I mean, it’s well documented that eating a good breakfast is the best way to start your day. From breakfast we all have to eat to:

keep up our energy

feed our brains

not get distracted by a growling and hungry tummy

to be healthy in general

Now, because this principal saw food on a field trip that she didn’t agree with she’s making a sweeping statement for the entire school? Ok, for real? When my kids have gone on field trips I’ve ALWAYS given them junk food and fun food to share that I normally wouldn’t. No way I’m alone in this.

I’ve GONE on field trips and seen bags of chips, pops, candy, etc. It’s a field trip for goodness sake! That’s to be expected. Something out of the ordinary on all counts.

On top of that for a principal to usurp MY role as a mom telling me what I can and can’t feed MY child? If my child is packing his/her own lunch, I should be providing the guidelines as to what should be included in that lunch. At this time, my kids don’t make their own lunches and probably never will.

This principal, according to the Chicago Tribune, is trying to “…protect students from their own unhealthful food choices.” I can’t imagine an entire school of kids packing their own lunches. Can you?

How nutritious or healthy is it for a child to go EIGHT hours without food? Does this woman have NO common sense?

Here are some questions I have for her or any other principal, superintendent, or gov’t official that could make this happen:

What if my children are vegetarians or vegans?

What if my child begins to have health issues such as weight loss or something else because of lack of nutrition 5 days a week?

What if I pack a healthier meal than you provide?

What if I can’t afford the lunch because I’m just above the cut off for assistance?

There are so many components that factor into this decision I can’t believe that it’s being allowed.

Any other parents out there think that this is a load of crap and it’s just one more way to have your rights as a parent taken out of your hands?

7
comments:

I saw this too and I am as angry as you! My children hate the school lunches (thankfully!) and will usually only buy once a week. From home they get sandwiches on whole wheat bread, yogurt, organic granola bars and the ocassional junk food snack.

I personally think it's pretty sad,to no longer have a voice in the matter! But I can't really say it comes as a surprise,considering everything else that goes on in today's world,I hope they don't get by with this! Blessings jane

First of all, OMG! My kids are not allowed to eat school lunches, because the crap they serve is NOT FRESH, NOT HEALTHY, NOT FRESH, and basically garbage. Did I mention not fresh? It's all canned, prepackaged, precooked, full of God only knows what preservatives GARBAGE that I wouldn't feed my dogs. I pack healthy, well balanced, fresh and mostly organic meals for my children every day. If it's a choice between going hungry or eating garbage, mine would go hungry. I'll go to the school every day and sign them out for lunch and then sign them back in afterwards if I have to.

I am definitely sending this link and article to Jaime Oliver for consideration for FOOD REVOLUTION. Until the schools offer fresh, healthy, non-processed, non-prepackaged, balanced and healthful meals mine will continue to eat what I send with them. No one will tell me otherwise.

Sounds like those who of us who care will be making a HOME SCHOOL movement if this is a growing trend.

On top of all of that, what business does a SCHOOL have telling a PARENT what the kids can and can't eat?!? While I realized that our goverenment is on the fast track to Socialism, and that Chicago (although the state of Illinois is beyond broke) is at the front of the race, I still believe that as parents WE have the #1 role as decision makers in our children's lives. If this principal thinks these children are being improperly cared for - in diet or other wise - she should contact the appropriate authorities. Allowing kids to starve IS NOT an option!